Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
Lukas Was Getting Married!
The sudden freedom felt foreign to Rhea. When she stepped out of her room, Rhea had expected that his men would send her back in but surprisingly, all they did was glance her way and resume their duties. She guessed Lukas was not joking about their deal.
However, that scared Rhea as well, because if she goes back on this deal and gets caught again, there was a high chance she might become rapunzel in this base – if he doesn’t kill her first.
“Well, tomorrow can think about itself,” Rhea muttered to herself as she stepped out of the house and headed to the garden. Even though none of the soldiers followed her there, she could feel their eyes on her and appreciated the fact no one followed her. They were respecting her boundaries.
There she spotted the gazebo and took a seat. Rhea had to admit, that Lukas had quite a taste for good things. The galvanized steel roof is rust-resistant and can help block ninety percent UV rays and is designed for long last use.
Although it was night, apart from the lanterns, there were strings of light that give the place a magical feeling while colorful fabrics were used to decorate and wrapped around the cedar wood frames. It was beautiful. She could spend all night here and not mind it.
Rhea sat down on one of the love seats, taking a look around the place. It was a good place to relax – and think about her life. But tonight, she would not think about the bad things that have happened to her lately or the fact this was a good opportunity to escape Lukas. The man has proven time after time that she wasn’t getting away from him unless he said so. He would always find her.
She leaned back in the seat, her eyes closed as she took in the fresh air and the sweet fragrance of flowers. Nature was all over her and for once her mind was clear. At that moment, all her problems seemed to be far away and she was finally free.
But not for long.
Rhea squeezed her eyes open when she felt movements behind her just as Lukas walked into her line of sight. Her gaze rested on him, taking in everything and she gulped.
…..
Lukas looked good, disturbingly good – to her senses. He was wearing a suit that was missing a tie and the top two buttons were open, revealing his chest. His hair was sexily tousled as if he had been running his hand through it before he got here. He was biting his lower lips as if he was unsure what to say to her, but Rhea had this dirty thought where she was the one biting on that lips.
God damn it, what was she thinking? No, no, this kind of inappropriate thought has to stop. She can’t keep doing this. It was wrong.
“I’m not surprised you found here.” He said.
“I’m sorry,” Rhea quickly said to him, “I didn’t know this was your secret spot. I’ll get out of your hair now….” She said, rising to her feet already when Lukas stopped her.
“No, don’t go!” He shouted to her surprise.
Her brows raised, stunned.
“Please?” He added, but in a lowered voice this time.
Rhea didn’t say anything but she sat down nonetheless, rubbing her knees with her palm. There was a sudden awkwardness in the air with Lukas’s arrival, it had been peaceful when he wasn’t here. Not that she was going to tell him that.
She tried to mind her business, like really, really, really tried, but Lukas has this indescribable pull that draws her to him. Rhea couldn’t help but notice Lukas standing there with his hands in his pocket and lost in thoughts. He would momentarily sigh and then shift uncomfortably on his feet. All this happened with his back turned to her.
“You’re bothered.”
Of course, she had to talk. Rhea why can’t you ever mind your business for once. Why must you be the goody-two-shoes? Damn it.
“I’m always bothered.” was his answer.
“No, today you’re mega bothered.” She pointed out and hopefully he talks about it. Yeah, why does she want him to talk about it? Real smooth, Rhea. Real smooth.
Lukas finally turned to her, his gray eyes boring into hers and seeking something she has no clue about. But the intensity there made her feel suffocated, like there was no more air in this gazebo and he had sucked every one of it with that single look.
However, there was something in those eyes as well; anxiety, confusion, and pain. Lukas was hurting right now and that bothered her for strange reasons.
Honestly, she should be happy, after all, she had always wished he felt one-third of her pain, but now? She didn’t know anymore. Maybe, it was because she wasn’t the one who caused it. She would be much gratified that way.
Lukas opened his mouth to say something but the words couldn’t come out and Rhea knew whatever this was, it was really hard for him to say.
“It’s alright. You don’t have to force yourself to tell me if you don’t want to.” She understood.
But Lukas did not give her a response and Rhea finally took that as a cue to mind her business. It was stupid even thinking he would somehow open up to her. Pretty stupid. He was her captor for Christ’s sake. His sorrows shouldn’t mind her.
“I’m getting married.”
“What?” Rhea thought she heard something.
Lukas announced in a firmer tone this time, “I’ll be a married man by the end of this month.”
“Oh.” Rhea blinked, once, twice. The words finally sank into her head. Lukas was getting married? Was that good news or a bad one?
Shouldn’t it be good news? After all, when he gets married, his attention would shift from her and who knows, he’d become so bored of her that he would have no choice but to let her go?
But all it took Rhea was to remember that annoying woman from that day and she decided at once this was not good news.
Eyes Only For Elijah
Rhea felt a stuffiness in her chest but she brushed it away as nothing. The news took her by surprise, that’s all.
“That is unexpected.” She breathed, still finding that hard to believe. Her gaze flickered down to his fingers to see there was no ring there and Lukas knew that because their gaze collided afterward.
“I’ll take it that you’re not in support of the marriage. You don’t look exactly happy.” She said to him, But deep down inside, Rhea was relieved. Although, she was never going to admit that.
“Should I be happy?” He asked that strange question more to himself.
“I would be.”
His brows raised.
Rhea understood the misunderstanding there and quickly corrected it, “That is, if I were getting married to the love of my life.” She confessed, while fanning her face. Gosh, why was this place suddenly hot?
“The love of your life, huh?” Lukas muttered, staring down and drawing God knows what on the floor.
“I must be a horrible man for keeping you away from him then,” He said beneath his breath but Rhea heard him and knew he was referring to Elijah.
…..
Elijah was the love of her life. He made her feel things no man had ever aroused inside of her. Not that she has been with other men – well, except Lukas. Rhea bet she would have been over the moon if Elijah had proposed marriage to her. But that was then, she wasn’t sure about now. She had her current situation to worry about rather than a proposal from her runaway boyfriend.
Rhea didn’t reply to that comment and looked the other way until he asked her, “Do you drink?”
But she said, “Mimi’s the fun one, I’m the responsible one.”